Darkness from Within #7: A Promise Broken (Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 16

Faint voices drifted with the wind as Raymond trudged up the mountainside. Recognizing Cole's voice, he halted and turned toward it, surprised. Who would Cole be talking to?

The man hadn't meant to be gone so long and had been worried about the boy, but Cole sounded happy, and when he spotted the ninja seated on a boulder farther down the mountain, he made out a girl beside him. Her golden hair blocked his view of her face, but she seemed around Cole's age. As Raymond wondered who she was, Cole turned his head and noticed he was there. Eyes brightening, the ninja gave an enthusiastic wave. Raymond raised his hand in response as the girl followed Cole's gaze. She seemed embarrassed and she turned away again, but not before Raymond could get a good look at her. Suspicion swarmed inside of him. He had seen that sort of appearance before.

The two by the boulder rose to their feet and shared a few more words before the girl turned toward the pines and Cole raced up the hill toward Raymond. The ninja was out of breath by the time he reached the man, but his face was shining with cheerfulness. "You're back!" he exclaimed.

A soft smile crossed Raymond's face and he ruffled the boy's hair. Then he nodded toward the cluster of boulders. "Who was that girl you were talking to?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. "She didn't look like one of your ninja."

Cole's face reddened as he followed his gaze. "H-her name's Vanessa," he stuttered. "She's... my friend."

Raymond's heart warmed. "You like her," he realized.

Now obviously embarrassed, Cole looked at the ground and shuffled his feet. "We... We only just met," he mumbled, shrugging his shoulders.

Raymond let out a hearty chuckle, patting the ninja's shoulder. "Well, I'd like to meet her sometime," he said, starting toward the cave.

Cole stayed where he was, seeming even more uncomfortable. "I-I don't know if she'd... want that," he blurted.

Raymond glanced back at him. "Why not?" he asked. "She shy?"

Cole didn't lift his gaze from the snow. "She might get in trouble," he explained hesitantly.

"Is she not allowed to be out?"

"I don't really know..." Cole admitted. He gave himself a shake. "But I'll ask her tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" The amusement returned to Raymond's tone. "Already?"

Cole shifted his feet without reply, and, chuckling, Raymond decided not to torture him any longer. "Come on, I'm sure you're hungry," he breathed, continuing up the hill.

Cole hurried after him, thinking about the man's words. Had tomorrow been too soon? Vanessa had agreed. And Cole had enjoyed their time together, so hadn't Vanessa?

He didn't have to ponder this too long, because it became obvious what the answer was. After the two met together the next day, Vanessa seemed more than happy to meet up again the next. And the next. And the next. Their meetings dragged on until Cole found himself with her every day. Their feelings of being enemies turned into feelings of being life-long friends and they became more and more comfortable with each other. After a few talks, Cole learned that Vanessa indeed had to hide where she was going every day. The Baddies would never approve of where she was going—to meet with one of their enemies—and she would probably be in serious trouble if the man in charge of the Bend found out. Which, as Cole later learned, was Lloyd.

But the fact that Cole was a ninja and Vanessa was a Baddie suddenly didn't seem so important anymore. They were both just people—people who enjoyed each other's company. Cole admired Vanessa's bubbly, talkative energy, which went well with his strong, adventurous spirit. He didn't care that they were supposed to be enemies. Who cared where they came from?